


for your sanity, refrain from working in fast food

by necroesthe



Category: Karneval
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Crushes, Fluff, Puberty is terrible
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 03:16:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7558057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necroesthe/pseuds/necroesthe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gareki had always known it would be on a Thursday that his life- his life<i> that he was <i>painstakingly</i> trying to make better (<i>with various degrees of success</i>)- went to absolute hell.</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <i>(Or, in which Gareki is a high school sophomore who works in fast food, Yogi is his coworker, Nai is a loyal and terrible customer that he most definitely does not have a crush on, Karoku is overprotective, and Eleska is jealous.)</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	for your sanity, refrain from working in fast food

There was nothing more in the fucking world that Gareki hated more than his goddamn job.

It was sweltering hot, for one, and the smell of grease and sweat seemed to hang in the air like a shitty spider that  _ refused _ to get off its web. The uniforms were itchy and scratchy, often leaving Gareki’s skin chaffed and forcing him to go buy lotion at the local convenience store more than the average male adolescent is supposed to.

He was absolutely positive that the cashiers gossiped about his masturbating habits and wow, rude. His masturbating habits were exclusively  _ his  _ business thank you very much.

Gareki was forced to wear a stupid cap that he knew was absolutely teeming with lice and other unknown creatures and-

He slaps a fly out of the air and sneered, rubbing the remains off his hands with a napkin and then throwing it in the trash. Working at a fast food place was absolute shit.

The door jingled, and Gareki was forced to replace his expression with a more friendly one. First customer of his shift. He smiled, showing off his neon braces ( _ everyday when he looks in the mirror he regrets, what the hell was past him thinking) _ and- oh god his face wasn't meant to do that. Back to default apathetic face. “Hello and welcome to Nyanperona’s  _ sir _ .” His braces force a lisp. Gareki grits his teeth. “How may I take your order?”

“Yeah I’d like a Special Sally’s Secret Sundae and uh. A cheeseburger.”

“What size would you like your,” Gareki breathes in and out. He braces himself for the next part. “..Special Sally’s Secret Sundae.”

“Large.”

He types it in the cash register as fast as he can. Once the customer takes his seat, Gareki looks at the clock.

4 more hours left.

Fuck.

 

Customers come and go. Gareki’s soul slowly break apart again. Yogi forgets to tend the fries and it catches on fire.

Gareki ignores his screams and focuses on the newest customer.

“I want a donut.”

“We don’t sell donuts.”

“I said I want a donut.

“And I  _ said _ ,” He holds back a sigh. “We don’t sell donuts.”

“But I want a donut.” She, a short girl with pink hair that Gareki is pretty sure he’s seen somewhere before at school, crosses her arms. “And there’s a fire behind you.”

Yogi is screaming. Gareki ignores it. “We don’t sell donuts.”

“I want a donut right no-”

The door on the bell jingles and Gareki suppresses the urge to  _ scream _ . God, when will his shift end.  It's another munchkin, this one with red eyes and white hair.

“Hi Eleska!” The munchkin smiles and Gareki is forced to look away. Too bright. What the hell kind of toothpaste does the kid used. “It’s really nice seeing you here. Are you planning t-”

Eleska stomps her foot and walk out the door, bumping him roughly with her shoulder. “Ugh! Nai, go away!”

The smile on Nai’s face falters briefly. It dissipates to a straight line. He stares at the door.

Gareki coughs twice. “Are you planning on ordering anything or not?”

“Y-yeah, I am.”

He orders a vanilla milkshake and fries and then sits at a nearby stool, just barely in Gareki’s field of vision.

He hopes the kid, Nai if Gareki recalls correctly, won’t be too much trouble.

(  _ yogi somehow manages to take care of the fire. peace is restored. ) _

 

Gareki regrets being born and intaking his first breath of oxygen. He regrets being able to blink and having cognizant thoughts. He regrets that he was the first sperm to reach his mother’s egg. But most of all, he regrets Nai.

“Fuck off.” Gareki mutters under his breath, watching as Nai dips the fry in his shake before slowly licking off the white drink. “Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off.”

Nai pops the fry in his mouth. Then he reaches for another fry and the process repeats.

Gareki ties his jacket around his waist.

 

Nai eventually leaves, and with him, Gareki’s boner goes.

 

Gareki realizes that it’s a Thursday when his shift ends, and he promptly remembers all the homework he still has to finish and the essay due in 5 hours that he hasn’t started.

Thanks Thursday.

  
  


Gareki had hoped, from the bottom of his small cold heart, that Nai would never come again. But Nai did. And Nai had become a regular.

They didn’t need to talk anymore. Gareki would type in Nai’s order, be handed 10 bucks, and then give change. That was that.

“How do braces feel Gareki? Are they uncomfortable? Do they hurt?” Nai babbles as Gareki gathers up the change. “Karoku is thinking about getting me braces, but I’m kinda scared-”

Karoku. That name sounded familiar. Really familiar.

Nai smiled, showing his teeth. “Do you think I need braces?”

“No, your teeth are fine. But if Karoku is really set on giving them to you, don’t get neon colors.” Gareki opens his mouth and shows his own neon braces. “Don’t end up like me.”

“But Gareki, it looks good on you!”

“Shut up.”

There is a surge of customers that come with Fridays, and it leaves Gareki exhausted. The smell of sweat and grease is more prominent than ever, and the shirt itches. He tugs the collar, taking a brief moment to wiggle his fingers to bring some life back into them. They’ve gone numb from typing two hours straight and from exchanging money with countless people.

His eyes are burning. “Yogi, I’m taking my break now.”

“Okay!” Yogi moves from the fryers to the cash register, quickly taking Gareki’s place. “Have fun!”

He takes off the stupid hat and sits where Nai usually does. He his head in his arms and closes his eyes. God, he hates work.

Someone takes a seat next to him soon after, and Gareki doesn’t need to look up to know it's Nai. He looks up anyway.

Watching Nai eat is even worse up close. Some shake gets on his lips, which seems to be very soft, and his tongue darts out quickly to lick it off.

Gareki places his jacket back on his lap and whispers. “Fuck off.”

“Hm?” Nai looks over at Gareki in all his disgusting 15 year old glory. Gareki hopes to meet Nai once he’s actually wearing nice clothes instead of a damn uniform. Nai dips a fry and then holds it in front of Gareki’s face. “Do you want some?”

“Sure.” He looks at it, then bites it. His lips brush against Nai’s fingertips.

Nai smiles and eats a fry of his own before feeding Gareki another one. Gareki adjusts the jacket on his lap.

Okay. He’s thirsty for more than just water. Gareki can fully admit it with only a minimum amount of shame, but hell would freeze over when he doesn’t take an opportunity like this. He looks up at Nai through his eyelashes.  “So how old are you?”

“14.” Okay good. No creepy age difference. “How old are you Gareki?”

“15.”

Nai’s eyes widened and Gareki knew the inevitable would happen. It always did when he told his age to someone. “Really? I thought you were older.”

“Are you saying I look old Nai.” Gareki narrowed his eyes, but the intimidating effect he was going for was ruined by his lisp. He honestly could not wait until he got these damned metal contraptions off his teeth.

“Not old old.” Nai feeds Gareki another fry. “Not the bad old, but the good old. A good kind of old. Oldish but not too old.”

Ah. Gareki has no clue what exactly Nai is trying to say, but he knows ( _ or at least thinks _ ) that it's good. His cheeks redden slightly and he puts his head back in his arms. “..Thanks.”

Yogi calls him back up, and Gareki is forced to leave.

 

The next two hours are even more hellish than the last ones. Nai is there won’t stop eating his milkshake and fries in a manner that Gareki finds unnecessarily hot. The customers keep on coming and coming. Hiding his stupid hard on gets more difficult and  _ shit _ it hurts now. He can’t get a bathroom break to take care of it, and even if Gareki did, it wouldn’t matter because stupid Nai is  _ still _ there.

Fuck puberty. Fuck hormones. Fuck life. But most of all-

“Fuck off,” Gareki mutters under his breath as he types in the next order. “Fuck. Off.”

He takes a quick peek at Nai, just to make sure that he’s still the- Okay yes. The guy is, after nearly an hour, is leaving.

Nai tosses the empty containers in the trash, and turns away. There is a bit of leftover milkshake on his fingers, and he slowly licks it off. One finger at a time. He makes eye contact with Gareki.

Gareki swears and curses his luck. He can feel the hot blush on his face spread to his ears and trail down his neck. His pants tighten. This is why he hates attractive and cute people. This is why he hates being a hormonal 15 year old boy. This is why he hates life.

“Fuck me....”

The customer in front of him, a blonde woman who’s name is undoubtedly Helen, gasps. The shock then fades away, only to be replaced with rage. “How dare you say that to me? Let me speak to your manager this instant!”

Gareki sighs, and then goes to the back where the fryers are. “Yogi, she needs to see the manager.”

“But Hirato isn’t here toda-” Clarification falls into Yogi’s eyes. “Oh.” He shakes his head. “How could you Gareki? And to think we were able to go almost a month without another incident.”

“Sorry.” Gareki says, very unapologetic.

Yogi shakes his head.

 

Gareki considered himself to have been experienced in the many ways life could fuck you over. The first one being the first sperm to reach the egg, the second one not being still born, then getting sent off to an orphanage at the tender age of 8 when his parents made a very stupid bet while at the casino. Being adopted into Tsubaki’s family sorta made up for it, but the shit he endured at the orphanage made him think otherwise. Then he had to deal with poverty and doing odd jobs around the city along with Yotaka and Tsubame until they were all old enough to get one that ensured steady pay and minimum mistreatment..

So Gareki had been through some stuff. But nothing could have ever prepared him for  _ this- _

This utter and complete betrayal of one he kinda trusts and the other who he not really sorta maybe trusts.

Yogi, after seeing that Gareki actually had a friend and was capable of socializing with other beings in an enjoyable manner during his break, had been so touched and offered Nai a second milkshake and fries. Nai, of course, had graciously accepted despite being confused. (

Now Gareki was stuck having to deal with his boner for twice as long and  _ god _ it hurts- why does life do this to him.

He looks up at the ceiling and imagines the odd stain there is God trying to reach down to these poor damned fast food workers. Then, when no one is looking, his gives it the bird.

Fuck you God. Fuck. Yo-

A gasp. “Gareki no!”

Fuck you too Yogi.

 

Yogi starts to talk with Nai, and Gareki is most definitely not jealous. Nope, not jealous at all.

It just pisses him off that Yogi talked with Nai right after Gareki finishes his break.

It's good that they're friends though, because now Gareki won't have to deal with Yog’is incessant chatter by himself anymore. He just has to deal with something else.

 

“So.” Yogi says after Nai leaves. “So.”

There's an impish look on his face that doesn't belong there anymore than a snowball belongs in Hell. Gareki scowls. “What.”

“So you have a crush.” Yogi  _ leers _ at him, and Gareki feels the sudden urge to ram his fist into the blonde bastard's face. “You have a crush on Nai.”

“Shut up.”

Yogi begins. “You’ve grown up so much Gareki. From a small 13 year old with a really raspy and nerdy voice-”

“Shut up.” They don’t talk about the time before puberty suplexed Gareki into the person he was now.

“Then to a 14 year old with neon braces and a deep manly voice-”

“Shut up.” They also don’t talk about the worst decision Gareki had made in his short 15 years of life.

“Then to a 15 year old who still has neon braces and a deep voice who is in  _ lo _ -”

“ _ Shut up _ !” Gareki explodes. He turns away, his hands and jaw clenched.

“Sure Gareki, but just know that I will support you all the way and help you in any way possible.” He smushes Gareki in a hug. “I’m so proud of you…”

“Help me out by leaving me and my love life alone.” Gareki tries to pull away from Yogi. It didn’t work, so he slaps him upside the head. “And don’t hug me.”

“So cold…”

  
  
  


Winter came, and Gareki’s fucking balls froze off. It was a 30 minute walk from home to school, and then 15 minutes to work. And there was  _ snow _ . So much damn snow that it wasn’t even pretty anymore. Whoever thought that snow was a beautiful thing to be treasured could go fuck themselves.

Gareki storms inside Nyanperona’s, not even pausing to wipe his feet on the mat. It’s warm, which is pretty great because Gareki is that blood will never be able to circulate properly. But it smells of grease and sweat and burgers. Burgers aren’t that bad, but having to deal with it for 4 hours straight 5 days a week and for about a year can wear you down.

Gareki goes to the employee room and changes into the uniform. He hates to part with his capri and tank top, but it has to be done. His job requires it.

Gareki fold them neatly and places them in his locker. After a moment, he ties his jacket around his waist and places his scarf atop the folded clothes.

He was prepared this time. Nai would not catch him off guard today. Satisfied, Gareki clocks in.

“Fuck.” Gareki says as Nai walked in, decked in ridiculously adorable winter clothes. He was wearing shorts with tights underneath an oversized sweater and a scarf. His boots were not Uggs, fortunately. “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” Nai tilted his head and handed Gareki 10 dollars. “Oh, and Karoku said I’ll be getting braces next month.”

“That’s terrible. It’s going to be one of the worst mistakes you’ll ever make.” Gareki typed in the order. “Remember, don’t get neon. And only eat soft food for the first couple days.”

He remembered vividly the time he crammed nachos into his mouth and chomped on them all, and the pain that bloomed afterwards even more. He had nearly cried.

“Why not neon?”

“You’ll look stupid.” Gareki regretted every waking day in letting Tsubame pick for him. Never again.

Nai frowned. “You look cute with them though. Not stupid at all.”

Ah. Nai thought he was cute. A blush washed over Gareki’s face as he typed in the order and handed him his change. “..You look cute too.”  

Nai beamed. Gareki’s stomach fluttered. It was eerily similar to the first drop on a rollercoaster, but without the screaming of other people. Instead, the screaming was from inside his head. He shakes his head and tries to blink it away. But no luck.

The world was against easily flustered people.

 

The sad truth of the matter was that Gareki was not prepared at all when Nai began to eat his fries in that stupid stupid way of his.

He was also not prepared for Yogi to give Nai a second serving.

 

It was near the end of Gareki’s shift when Nai had finished eating. The younger teen had gone out the door after saying his goodbyes when Yogi sprung into action, grabbing Gareki by the shoulder and pushing him to the employee room.

“Gareki how could you let Nai walk home all by himself?”

“He's done it plenty of times before you know. Every time he comes back.”

“Yeah, but it's winter now. That means it gets dark earlier.” Yogi whispered. “What if Nai gets jumped? What if he gets killed? What if the varuga come out to get him?”

Gareki snorted. “Varuga don't even exist. They're just lies told to scare others and make them paranoid.”

“They do exist Gareki! I've seen them and felt them and fought them.” Yogi insisted. “They come out at night when you least expect it and snatch your wallet. I was lucky to escape with my life.”

That was not getting attacked by a monster. That was getting mugged. Plain and simple. Gareki wondered how Yogi managed to stay alive in this world for 21 years and how he will continue to survive on this hellish orb until death by natural causes or something. “How did you even come to the conclusion that they were Varuga?”

“Well, they said so.”

Gareki nearly rolled his eyes so far into the back of his head that he’d be able to see his brain.

 

He’s positive that he set a new world record with how fast he changes his clothes. Gareki isn’t sure what the record even is, but he knows that he beat it. He can feel it in his bones. The magicians don’t count though, because they know magic and Gareki hasn’t’ learnt anything beyond the simple ‘pulling a coin from behind the ear’ trick.

Yogi ushers him out of the shop and tells him which direction Nai had gone, and Gareki slips on ice trying to catch up. It hurts. His bony ass is bruised. Gareki hopes that Nai hasn’t seen i-

“Gareki, are you okay?” Speak of the devil and he shall appear. The devil will also come after you and slip on the ice himself. The devil will then have the luck of skidding and somehow hitting a light post. “Ouch.”

“Yeah I'm fine.” Poor sod. Hitting a light post was a painful and embarrassing experience, only second to getting your tongue stuck to one. Not that Gareki knew how that felt of course. There was no way he'd lick a pole during winter. He gets back on his feet and walks over to Nai. He stretches out his hand. “Are  _ you  _ okay though?”

Nai grabs his hand, and Gareki can't help but notice how much softer and smaller it is than his own. Colder too. “Yeah, but it kinda hurts.” He rubs the aching parts. “I think it's going to bruise.”

Bruises. Lovely things that marred your skin. Can be purple or yellow or green. Gareki’s had more than his fair share of them, and while he appreciated how they looked on his own skin, he wouldn't wish them on anyone else. ( _ but really, it depended on how the bruise was caused  _ ) “Anyway, where do you live?”

Nai looked at him.

Shit, that was creepy. “So that I can walk you home. It wouldn't be good for business if you died, after all.”

The younger teen blinks and continues to stare at Gareki, deciphering him. Picking through his brain and snatching all his dirty little secrets. A moment passes, and Nai smiles. He grabs Gareki’s hand and laces their fingers together. “I'll show you.”

“Ah, wait. Let me fix your scarf first.”

 

The walk to Nai’s home is quiet. They don't talk much, and what noise they make comes from crushing snow that lay about.

White puffs of air come from their mouths. “Gareki, why is your face so red?”

Dammit Nai. There’s just some stuff you don’t point out to people, and this is one of them. “Because it's cold.” Not the truth, but who cares. Gareki would rather eat a brick than say the real reason.

He hummed and rubbed his circles over Gareki's hand with his thumb. “Sorry.”

“You better be sorry.” Gareki mutters under his breath. He still wasn't sure if Nai was doing it on purpose or not, but he had a small ( _ big _ ) suspicion it was the former. “It's all your fault.”

 

Nai lets go of Gareki's hand once they're in front of his house, which was your average middle class two story one. He took off his scarf and slung it around Gareki's neck, wrapping it around. “There.”

“Why?” The scarf smells of vanilla. Gareki's shoulders relax. “Won't you need it later?”

Nai shakes his head. “Don't worry about it. I'll be fine.”

“Have a nice night then.”

When Gareki comes to work the next day wearing Nai’s scarf, Yogi leers and hounds him for details.

“So what happened?” Yogi asks, voraciously filling his daily romance quota through Gareki’s love life. It wasn’t that he couldn’t date. Yogi just had no interest in romance between himself and another person. Or so he claimed. Everyone knew that it was just because there was no one in particular that Yogi deemed suitable to lavish with his affection and would reciprocate. “Tell me Gareki please. I’m dying. You don’t know how important this is to me.”

“I walked him home. We held hands. He lent me his scarf.” Gareki changes into the shitty uniform. It’s beginning to reek of sweat, but the overwhelming scent of hamburgers should cover it up. “Any more questions you nosey bastard?”

“Did you guys kiss?” Yogi’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Did you guys hug?”

“No. We didn’t.” Gareki ties his jacket around his waist. “Now fuck off.”

Yogi sniffs.

 

The pink haired girl doesn’t come anymore, but Gareki can see her sometimes standing outside and glaring at Nai. Maybe she had a crush on him. Maybe she hated him. Maybe she had nothing better to do.

Gareki himself can’t do anything to drive her away. Leaving his work station was bad, and driving a customer away was even worse. So he settles on telling Nai.

That always shoos her away.

 

After that incident, the pink haired girl takes to glaring at Gareki as well.

Gareki responds by sticking his tongue out at her.

 

“So who’s that girl that’s always outside?” Gareki asks as they walk down the street, hand in hand. Walking Nai home and holding hands had become a thing apparently. He isn’t sure exactly that meant for the both of them, but Gareki wasn’t complaining. “With the pink hair and stuff.”

“Oh, that’s Eleska.” Nai swings their hands up and down. “She’s my classmate and sorta my friend. She likes to come over sometimes and help me on my homework.”

“She's not really your friend but she still comes over and helps you on your homework?”

“She comes over to see Karoku and she uses me as an excuse.” Nai shrugs and looks to the street, facing away from Gareki. “It's weird.”

Gareki frowns, not really knowing what to say in this kind of situation. Normally he'd do something around the lines of ‘Ditch them’ or ‘Do you want me to do something about them?’. But this was something far more delicate. Also, Eleska seems to be fucking rich. Gareki doesn't fancy getting sued. “...do you want me to tutor you sometime?”

Nai, not expecting that, blinks. Then he remembers his grades and exactly what he has trouble on and cringes. “That'd be nice Gareki. Thanks.”

“Just tell me when you're free so I can come over.”

 

Gareki had always known it was possible to hate someone at first sight, as it was a phenomenon that happened to him many many times. And the feeling was reciprocated more often than not. He had not, however, known it was possible to be hated to  _ this _ extent. In fact, it was probably why the entire house was nice and toasty.

“Gareki, Karoku.” Nai smiles and looks between them. “Karoku, Gareki.”

No wonder the name had been so familiar. Karoki was the valedictorian back when Gareki was in his first year. Teachers and staff loved him

“So you’re the famous Gareki that Nai has been talking about lately.” Karoku extends a hand, his eyes so narrowed they were almost closed and a strained smile on his face. He’s wearing a frilly apron decorated with white hamster-like creatures. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“...It’s nice to meet you too.” Gareki eyes the outstretched hand and reluctantly grabs it. Karoku tighten his grip and pulls him close, as if it was a nice welcoming hug to his and Nai’s humble abode. And to Nai, it probably looks like that.

“I may not know who you are,” He whispers harshly into Gareki’s ear. “but keep your distance from Nai. No hand holding, no hugs, no kisses, no nothing. Don’t even get a foot near him. And most of all, don’t hurt him.” He crushes Gareki’s hand even more. “Or else you might find all your high school credits conveniently missing when graduation comes around.”

Karoku pulls back before the teen has a chance to respond and begins walking back to the kitchen. A soft smile graces his face as if he hadn’t threatened an innocent sophomore only moments ago. “Come in! I’ve made cookies!”

**Author's Note:**

> i died a little inside while writing this and fell back in love with bnha (and shinsou hitoshi)
> 
> tumblr: [necroesthe](http://necroesthe.tumblr.com/)


End file.
